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Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip
The companion volume to the PBS documentary film about the first—and perhaps most astonishing—automobile trip across the United States.
In 1903 there were only 150 miles of paved roads in the entire nation and most people had never seen a “horseless buggy”—but that did not stop Horatio Nelson Jackson, a thirty-one-year-old Vermont doctor, who impulsively bet fifty dollars that he could drive his 20-horsepower automobile from San Francisco to New York City. Here—in Jackson’s own words and photographs—is a glorious account of that months-long, problem-beset, thrilling-to-the-rattled-bones trip with his mechanic, Sewall Crocker, and a bulldog named Bud. Jackson’s previously unpublished letters to his wife, brimming with optimism against all odds, describe in vivid detail every detour, every flat tire, every adventure good and bad. And his nearly one hundred photographs show a country still settled mainly in small towns, where life moved no faster than the horse-drawn carriage and where the arrival of Jackson’s open-air (roofless and windowless) Winton would cause delirious excitement.
Jackson was possessed of a deep thirst for adventure, and his remarkable story chronicles the very beginning of the restless road trips that soon became a way of life in America. Horatio’s Drive is the first chapter in our nation’s great romance with the road.
With 146 illustrations and 1 map
In 1903 there were only 150 miles of paved roads in the entire nation and most people had never seen a “horseless buggy”—but that did not stop Horatio Nelson Jackson, a thirty-one-year-old Vermont doctor, who impulsively bet fifty dollars that he could drive his 20-horsepower automobile from San Francisco to New York City. Here—in Jackson’s own words and photographs—is a glorious account of that months-long, problem-beset, thrilling-to-the-rattled-bones trip with his mechanic, Sewall Crocker, and a bulldog named Bud. Jackson’s previously unpublished letters to his wife, brimming with optimism against all odds, describe in vivid detail every detour, every flat tire, every adventure good and bad. And his nearly one hundred photographs show a country still settled mainly in small towns, where life moved no faster than the horse-drawn carriage and where the arrival of Jackson’s open-air (roofless and windowless) Winton would cause delirious excitement.
Jackson was possessed of a deep thirst for adventure, and his remarkable story chronicles the very beginning of the restless road trips that soon became a way of life in America. Horatio’s Drive is the first chapter in our nation’s great romance with the road.
With 146 illustrations and 1 map
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
3 people are currently reading
238 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
July 1, 2021
A quick but good read. I have always been fascinated with American history during the advance of automotive history. I cannot get enough of what America was like during the early days when autos first appeared. Fascinating!!
October 30, 2015
A fascinating story of the first cross-country trip by car. Thanks to photos and letters that have survived all this time, along with newspaper archives, Burns was able to recreate this journey on the page. The result of a bet, the men's trip began with little planning, and they survived constant breakdowns and the loss of supplies on the bumpy route, even two parties of competitors, to become the first to cross from San Francisco to New York. It's a fun book, and I recommend reading it with a friend.
February 10, 2017
An amazing little book about Horatio who on the base of a 50 dollar bet became the first person to drive across the country in "one of those new fangled automobiles". This is a fun story to read, with lots of pictures, and first person resources. It is the companion piece to a Ken Burns film, which I plan to see. If you want to read something a little bit different then you will enjoy this book.
January 13, 2020
I had never really thought about who was the first person to drive a car across America. And I certainly never thought about the road conditions if someone did it. This was fascinating to me. It is also amazing to me how quickly, in just a few years, we went from three months to cross America to 5 days. Incredible. I could not read the Afterward by the author. It was nothing I was interested in at all which was his experience in traveling.
July 5, 2020
This was great! Ken Burns documentaries make me fall asleep (that soft voice and those wiggling photographs), so maybe the audiobook of the companion volume is the way to go. This was a pretty fluffy topic for Burns and his less-famed compatriot Dayton Duncan, who wrote this companion volume. In 1903, Horatio Nelson Jackson made a wager at a San Francisco gentleman's club and two weeks later set off to drive across the entire United States. This is obvious gold, if only for the comic descriptions of being stuck in water or dust or mud up to the headlights and things falling off the car as it rattles along wagon roads. Nelson's companion and mechanic, Crocker, unfortunately left no recollections, and Nelson could have done a better job, but there is plenty here for a short, sweet book about Americans and who we are and how we got that way. When Nelson is nearly half way across the country, two auto companies start racing him in well-planned, better-supplied autos with company mechanics traveling ahead by train. Nelson wins, and hooray for the heroic underdog (who also has $8,000 1903 dollars to spend on a road trip in the first place). Good celebrity voice acting, and a few essays at the front and back to pad it out into a three hour narrative.
November 22, 2021
This was a fun, quick read about the first road trip in America. I enjoyed reading about the troubles that were encountered. If anything, I would have liked more details. Maybe I will get more if I watch the PBS special for which this is the companion. My dad doesn't read but I think he might enjoy this.
May 20, 2025
My husband and I listened to this audiobook while driving California highway 1 from Fort Bragg to Point Arena. Skipped the preface. It was fun to be driving in the general area where this cross-country road trip began. While navigating hairpin turns next to steep drop offs to the Pacific Ocean, we felt a kinship with the travelers in the book.
October 11, 2013
One May evening in 1903 at the prestigious University Club in San Francisco, after a spirited debate on the subject, Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson makes a $50 wager with another gentleman that an automobile, in fact, could successfully cross the continent. Four days later, after procuring a Winton #1684 automobile; Sewall Crocker, a former professional bicycle racer with gas engine knowledge; and eventually Bud the dog as his trip companions, the road trip began. There was no support team, no sponsorship, no detailed maps, very few established (or paved) roads outside of the city, and no roof to their very open car...
I love this book and the fact that someone made the effort to put this wonderful story together. My only gripe with it is that I wish the book was more comprehensive, covering the trip across America in more detail. However, the author himself has the same complaint that H. Nelson Jackson neglected to record his trip in much detail either. The format is almost scrapbook-like with lots of old photographs, and reproductions of newspaper articles and auto ephemera. Adding an element of excitement was the simultaneous account of two rival continental crossings in Jackson's immediate wake.The author brings to the forefront how very American piling stuff into your car and going on a roadtrip is, and how much the automobile is part of the American identity.
I love this book and the fact that someone made the effort to put this wonderful story together. My only gripe with it is that I wish the book was more comprehensive, covering the trip across America in more detail. However, the author himself has the same complaint that H. Nelson Jackson neglected to record his trip in much detail either. The format is almost scrapbook-like with lots of old photographs, and reproductions of newspaper articles and auto ephemera. Adding an element of excitement was the simultaneous account of two rival continental crossings in Jackson's immediate wake.The author brings to the forefront how very American piling stuff into your car and going on a roadtrip is, and how much the automobile is part of the American identity.
July 10, 2019
I'm sad to say that there was no pdf file included with the Overdrive loan from my library, so I need to find the book or the video of the show to see the photos.
That said, once KB got past his "I have to talk like this because I am a great documentarian and attention must be paid" voice, the story picked up speed. My favorite parts of the audio book were the narrations by Tom Hanks, reading Nelson's, or Nelly's letters, and George Plimpton, my hero, reading the new of the arrival in New York. George Plimpton, the man William F. Buckley wished he could sound like, but came off sounding just like the prig that he was. George, though, was class through and through. I was so excited when he showed up in the Nero Wolfe series with Timothy Hutton. Damn, I could listen to him talk forever.
That said, once KB got past his "I have to talk like this because I am a great documentarian and attention must be paid" voice, the story picked up speed. My favorite parts of the audio book were the narrations by Tom Hanks, reading Nelson's, or Nelly's letters, and George Plimpton, my hero, reading the new of the arrival in New York. George Plimpton, the man William F. Buckley wished he could sound like, but came off sounding just like the prig that he was. George, though, was class through and through. I was so excited when he showed up in the Nero Wolfe series with Timothy Hutton. Damn, I could listen to him talk forever.
January 11, 2020
Haven't seen the PBS series, but this on its own seems to get across enough information. This short book is folksy, right down to Tom Hanks doing his "aw shucks" country drawl. Even so, it was entertaining. Amazing that they were able to make it across America with something breaking or popping or falling off every ten miles. Their patience is incomprehensible-- I can't believe Jackson and Crocker didn't kill each other out of total frustration.
The book become rather repetitive, even as short as it is, and it would have been served well with the development of their characters. Hard to really see them as people.
The book become rather repetitive, even as short as it is, and it would have been served well with the development of their characters. Hard to really see them as people.
January 16, 2022
Such a cute story about the first cross country road trip! They had many breakdowns and setbacks. Others tried to win once news of the trip went around, but Horatio was successful. Midway through his trip, someone wanted to sponsor him, but he'd already made it so far without help that he decided to complete it as he started, with just him and his mechanic. They got a dog along the way too. So cute! Makes me want to go on a road trip right now.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2022
Quick read. Well-produced audio book.
Narrated by the author (not the best narrator, but adequate) and good production that includes music and multiple narrators for different voices.
Interesting story that inclines me to look for the documentary film that accompanies this book.
Well worth reading for the American History aspect.
Would’ve liked some more info or “story” from Horatio’s wife, but perhaps not available.
Narrated by the author (not the best narrator, but adequate) and good production that includes music and multiple narrators for different voices.
Interesting story that inclines me to look for the documentary film that accompanies this book.
Well worth reading for the American History aspect.
Would’ve liked some more info or “story” from Horatio’s wife, but perhaps not available.
January 29, 2020
Found this brief audiobook accompaniment to a Ken Burns documentary about the first American cross-country road trip while looking for something brief to listen to while waiting for my next library hold to become available. I'd never heard about this before - very interesting and entertaining account of their adventure.
June 12, 2021
This quick read is entertaining in a way that it shows you a time of history gone forever - a time before our current highway system and access to cars - but light hearted enough that you forget the details as soon as you finish. For me, it was a great distraction from a stressful move and I am satisfied with this nonfiction piece that ultimately taught me nothing.
October 21, 2023
Audio book was a fun listen. As a road trip fanatic, it's mind-boggling to consider how much we take the ease of that mode of travel for granted - the way we traverse the country was considered completely unattainable just over a century ago.
October 3, 2024
This was an interesting historical account of a bold automotive enthusiast who took on a journey of incredible distance in a machine not yet known my most of the US at the time. The author’s research into personal telegrams helps to provide a very emotional insight into the driver’s perspective.
July 1, 2017
Book blurb book for July. Book on tape, well done. Turns out we can't make it to the meeting but glad we read it.
August 12, 2017
As accustomed as we are today of driving a car, we never fathom the challenges of driving in the early 1900's. After placing a bet, Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson, his sidekick, Sewall Crocker, and their mascot, a bulldog named Bud (who was acquired on the way) set off to drive from San Francisco to New York. Many deterrents impeded their travel, flat tires, broken down parts, hunger and sleep deprivation were among them. Soon other teams of drivers followed, each trying to outdo the others, some had to turn back but Horatio and his team prodded on, proving to themselves and the world that driving across country could be done. I recommend this book to history buffs and car enthusiasts who delight in adventure.
October 10, 2018
Wish it was 10x longer. Interested to checkout the documentary.
March 13, 2019
Interesting little story that was probably unknown before this. The world has changed. A lot.
September 28, 2020
Very heroic tales of high grand adventures and journey at a dawning age of industry. This story still sparks motivation. Magnificent quotes
August 10, 2021
Interesting story. Would probably be better in paper format than audio, so you could see the pictures.
May 23, 2022
Nice short story especially if you like automotive history.
September 15, 2023
read a library hardback over the past couple of evenings. A short, but very interesting and well-illustrated read.
March 24, 2024
Interesting, fun audiobook
July 31, 2024
A little meandering but a funny story and interesting part of American history.
August 24, 2024
This is a great audio book for a road trip. Appeals to both husband and wife!
September 28, 2024
As I expected, a great retelling of an American experience. This is a shorter story about a long journey across the country...the first by car. Interesting to the last.
May 2, 2025
This was a fun little story to listen to on audiobook. It's hard to imagine how difficult that first cross country road trip must have been.
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August 19, 2025Interesting story, although not my favorite delivery.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews